No Condemnation Through Jesus Christ

Romans 5:12 says through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned. This refers to the sinful nature every human being inherited from Adam. In other words, this sinful nature is hereditary. Our own moral upstanding can't do away with the sinful nature we each were born. Don't worry there is hope............

Hebrews 9:26 says Jesus Christ appeared once for all to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself. It is through the Cross of Christ that God redeemed the entire human race from the possibility of damnation through the heredity of sin. Condemnation comes when I realize that Jesus Christ came to deliver me from this heredity of sin, and I refuse to let Him do so. From that moment I begin to get the seal of damnation.

Without Christ, I'd be hopeless! Like a ship without a sail. Lord I thank you that when you see me, you don't see the sin I inherited. Instead your blood covers my sin justifying me in your presence. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

The Mind

2 Corinthians 11:3 But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent's cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ

Today, I am reminded of how vital the mind is in the Christian walk. It is literally the place where conception occurs. It is the part of us that is literally like a garden, waiting for seeds to be planted to manifest the seed's contents in our daily lives. What we continually think about today will be manifested tomorrow. In other words, whatever you want to experience tomorrow, saturate your thoughts in it today. Because of this truth, the Christian mind is always under attack. That is way the apostle Paul urged us to "bring every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ. (2 Corinthinas 10:5) Ever wonder why it may be difficult to focus on something for a long period of time, especially things that will do damage to Satan's kingdom? The reason is that Satan knows if he can influence your mind to constantly wonder and be undisciplined today, that you won't produce valuable fruit tomorrow.

We must purpose to not only be aware of what is in the womb of our minds, but fight to bring it subject to the obedience of Christ. To bring it subject to worship, prayer, the word of God, helping others, etc. For the intellectuals, we must be careful not to attempt to think through spiritual speculation or confusion because attempting to think through it will only lead to further wandering thoughts and more confusion. The only solution to spiritual clarity is obedience. When we obey God's word, clarity and discernement will come.

Fountains of Blessings

"The water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life." - John 4:14

This statement was made by Jesus when he conversed with a Samaritan woman at a well. She went to the well to obtain water to drink. During conversation, Jesus asked her if she would like living water instead of natural water. This raises the subject of Spiritual Thirst, and nourishment.

Without question, to have a healthy and fruitful spiritual life, the Christian must spend time with God. It is only by spending time with God and learning God's heart, mind, likes, dislikes, that a Christian can become more like Christ.

In the above scripture, Jesus speaks of a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life from within the believer. Today, I expect and call forth the fountain of water from within me. Not just for me to enjoy, but to be a blessing to others and to "MAKE GOD FAMOUS!" Anything hindering the flow i renounce and let it go. I am your instrument Lord, a channel by with you may use to deliver your purposes.

Are Rivers Flowing From You?

John 7:38 He who believes in Me... out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.

In this passage of scripture, Jesus states those who believe in him will have rivers of living water flowing from them. This living water isn't just for me to benefit. It is primarily for others to benefit.

A powerful fact about a river, is that it is persistent and overcomes all barriers. As Oswald Chambers writes " For a while it goes steadily on its course, but then comes to an obstacle. And for a while it is blocked, yet it soon makes a pathway around the obstacle. Or a river will drop out of sight for miles, only later to emerge again even broader and greater than ever.

The rivers of living water following out of a person overcomes all obstacles or even removes them. The key is to not focus on the obstacle or challenge, but to stay focused on the Source. The obstacle will be a matter of total indifference to the river that will flow steadily through you if you will simply remember to stay focused on the Source.

It's Time For You To Soar!

Life can really get demanding and just flat out busy at times. Job, family, and an array of other responsibilities are all vying for your time and attention. During times like this we often say "if there were only more hours in a day." Because we are so busy, we often go to McDonald's, Burger King, Wendy's etc. and regularly eat fast food to accommodate our fast paced lifestyle, not cognizant of the fact that the food is equivalent to garbage and is destroying our health.

I submit to you that there are times in our lives that we are just TOO BUSY. Moreover, busyness can be a ploy of the enemy to derail our relationship with the father. A sure fire way to know if you are in an "ungodly busy state" is to asses whether or not you have PEACE. This is important because God is not the author of confusion, stress, or weariness. If you are stressed, anxious, nervous, or confused during your busy state, you need to STOP and meditate upon this scripture:

Isaiah 40:30-31 Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who (hope, wait, trust) in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. (NIV)

The message translation says it like this: For even young people tire and drop out, young folk in their prime stumble and fall. But those who wait upon God get fresh strength. They spread their wings and soar like eagles, they run and don't get tired, they walk and don't lag behind.

These scriptures point out the importance of waiting, hoping and trusting in the Lord. Isaiah points out that when we wait (hope, trust, depend) on the Lord, it results in our strength being renewed. It results in us soaring on wings like eagles. Not only that, but when we expend energy tending to our various responsibilities, we won't get tired or faint.

Now waiting isn't a stagnate action. It is a posture or AWARENESS of God's presence in ALL that we do. Many times, when we are too busy, we are not aware of God's presence that leads and guides us into his will for our lives. Instead we are focused on ourselves and ALL THAT WE HAVE TO GET DONE.

I encourage you today to be constantly aware of God's presence in your life. When you are, the Lord can lead and direct you in all that you do instead of you leading and directing yourself in a non peaceful and stress filled state of busyness.

Stop operating in your own strength, wait on the Lord as Isaiah 40:30 says, then..........

Soar like the eagle you were designed to be!

Revelation Song

Today I am reminded of Christ's infinite love for us. I am simply overwhelmed. This video contains a song by Kari Jobe, Associate Pastor of Worship at Gateway Church in Texas. The video was put together by Jesus Pena from the the Dominican Republic http://christrevolution.wordpress.com

Let this song and video minister to you as it did to me this morning.

Your Life Is Not Your Own

Romans 1:14 says I am obligated both to Greeks and non-Greeks, both to the wise and the foolish. That is why I am so eager to preach the gospel also to you who are at Rome.

This passage reveals Paul's servanthood paradigm. Its as if he was overwhelmed with a sense of indebtedness to Jesus.

1 Corunthians 6:19-20 says do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.

Paul was a living example of this scriptue because he amazingly lived his life as if he was in debt to Jesus. The truth of the matter is that not only was he indebt to Jesus, but all those who are Christians are indebt to Christ. In a self-centered world, living your life for someone else is a challenge. Thousands of messages are sent out via the media that subliminally tell us to live for ourselves, spoil ourselves etc. We must realize that we are not our own and that we have indeed been bought at a price.

It is time to stop living self-centered lives and instead, spend our life for the sake of others as the bond servant of Jesus. How much of your life is spent satisfying your selfish desires and how much of your life is spent being a representative or spokesperson for Christ?

Principle of Success (For Married People with Kids)

Almost every human being desires to be successful, however, many pursue success while neglecting what should be priorities. For the individual who is married with children, it is wrong to be a success in the eyes of others and a falure in the eyes of your spouse and children. Please remember this........

Your public success is no stronger than what is coming out of your household!

Quote Inspired by a conversation I had with Pendelton Saulsberry at Burlington Coat Factory on 7/13/10)

Turning The Other Cheek

Matthew 5:39 says But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.

Without question, this verse reveals how humiliating it can be at times to be a Christian. The essence of what Jesus was teaching when he stated this to his disciples is that when another person offends us, we have an opportunity to allow the nature of Jesus to shine through us. Oswald Chambers said it like this "A personal insult becomes an opportunity for a saint to reveal the incredible sweetness of the Lord Jesus."

Colossians 1:24 says Now I rejoice in what was suffered for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ's affictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church." The message translation says it like this: "I want you to know how glad I am that it's me sitting here in this jail and not you. There's a lot of suffering to be entered into in this world—the kind of suffering Christ takes on. I welcome the chance to take my share in the church's part of that suffering. When I became a servant in this church, I experienced this suffering as a sheer gift, God's way of helping me serve you, laying out the whole truth."

This passage clearly illustrates the Apostle Paul's understanding of suffering for Christ sake. Moreover, he seems to welcome it with joy! Another way of saying what he said in this scripture passage is, every time we take a blow in the natural world (an offense, insult, etc.) we are putting our Lord's honor before our own. "A disciple realizes that it is his Lord's honor that is at stake in his life, not his own honor."

We should never look for righteousness in other people while never ceasing to be righteous ourselves. In this world, many people look for justice, particuallarly when they have been offended. Real Christian maturity doesn't look for justice when offense occurs. Instead, the mature Christian never ceases to give justice in the face of offense.

Perspective

1 Thessalonians 5:18 says it well: give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.Today, I remember the importance of having a positive perspective in all of life's circumstances. Perspective is formulated by choice, and that it is to our best interest (and others) to CHOOSE the perspective yielding positive outcomes.

Total Reliance On God

Today I ponder the questions: "Do I totally depend on God for everything?" "How much of my life do I trust God to handle and how much of my life do I rely on my own gifts and abilities?" "Is there a particular set of circumstances, such as a steady income, that I rely on more than God?"

These questions really cause me to examine how much do I really trust and depend on the Lord. It is so easy to handle life's challenges with our own ingenuity, strength, or abilities. Matter of fact, I know at times that I operate in this manner. I rely on my organizational skills, or my musical talents etc. to get results with out FIRST acknowledging or consulting God for direction and strategy.

In Joshua 24:21, the people said to Joshua, "We will serve the Lord!" This statement was made after Joshua stressed the importance of making a commitment to serve God wholeheartedly, especially after all the miraculous things God did for them. Joshua wasn't asking them to make a conditional commitment. i.e. "Lord I will trust you wholeheartedly with my health, but when it comes to my finances, I'll take care of that." Joshua stressed the importance of making a decision/commitment prior to any life challenges, and keeping that commitment when presented with opportunities to rely and trust in something or someone else.

Today I declare "Lord I trust you with everything. I can do nothing without you. It is you that gives me the ability to do ANYTHING!" Lord I ask you to reveal the areas in my life where I am not relying on you. Also, forgive me for not trusting you to handle every aspect of my life, especially after you have proven yourself faithful and reliable time and time again. It is my desire to grow to this level of trust Lord. I don't want to be guilty of the sin of unbelief because as you illustrate in Matthew 13:58, you could not do many mighty works in the lives of the people. Lord, I don't want my unbelief in your ability to handle every aspect of my life to hinder your leading and involvement in my life. Lord, I surrender everything today. Amen.

All Efforts of Worth and Excellence Are Difficult

Without question, the person who regularly lifts weights has the desire to better their physical body in some manner. The resistance caused by the weights is essential to obtain their desired physical goal. As one person said, "no pain, no gain."

Matthew 7:13-14 says it like this: "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only few find it.


An effective life with the Lord at the helm is a glorious and challenging pursuit. Many people regularly choose the course of least resistance sending them down a road that leads to disappointment,  dissatisfaction, and dissallutionment.  However, choose to exert your efforts towards things of worth and excellence today, especially when faced with opposition.  Remember, All Efforts of Worth and Excellence are Difficult, but be determined to pay the price!  When you do, you'll look back and say, "the results far exceeded the price I paid."

Don't Worry

Webster's dictionary defines Worry as follows: give way to anxiety or unease; allow one's mind to dwell on difficulty or troubles; to cause to feel Anxiety or concern; a state of anxiety and uncertainty over actual or potential problems.

Webster defines anxiety as: a feeling of worry, nervousness, or unease, typically about an imminent event or something with an uncertain outcome.

Sometimes, life or situations have a way of presenting things to us that can cause us to worry. Paying the bills, having enough money to do this or that, waiting on a doctor's report etc. Matthew 6:25-34 beautifully addresses worry by telling us how we are to respond to it. It reads as follows:

Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 26Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life[a]? 28"And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' 32For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

In this passage, Jesus teaches us that he truly cares and looks out for our best interest and concerns. We don't have to worry about what we will eat, drink, our bodies, money etc. because he will provide for us resulting in all of our needs being met. What I love is the fact of what verse 33 points out: "Seek first the kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well."

The all these things are our needs (food, cloths, etc) So if we seek the kingdom and God and his righteousness, these things will automatically be given to us. Thank you Jesus!

The Apostle Paul's Heart

Today I ponder the amazing heart for Christ that the Apostle Paul exemplified during the first century. Not only did he love Christ with his whole heart, but he loved God's people to the extent of writing them letters of encouragement while he himself was in prison for preaching the gospel. Not only that, but his life was threatened because he didn't know whether or not the authorities where going to kill him. In this volatile life threatening state, Paul says

"For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain."(Philippians 1:21)

"The message translation says it like this: "everything happening to me in this jail only serves to make Christ more accurately known, regardless of whether I live or die. They didn't shut me up; they gave me a pulpit! Alive, I'm Christ's messenger; dead, I'm his bounty. Life versus even more life! I can't lose."

Selah!

After reading these verses, the old adage of the glass being half full or empty comes to mind. Perspective is a very powerful force!!!!!!! What's amazing is that mankind has a CHOICE in how they view various circumstances. In the Apostle Paul's instance, he always saw the glass as being half full. ie. when he was in prison, he viewed the prison as his PULPIT. With his life threatened, he joyfully anticipated being with Christ. When entertaining the possibility of remaining alive, he eagerly anticipated encouraging others in the Christian faith. No matter what state Paul was in, his posture or perspective was one in which he used his challenging situation to bring attention and glory to God!

Prayer: Lord, Paul's example of love, passion, commitment and steadfastness towards you is astounding! Help us to maintain the proper perspective AT ALL TIMES. Help us to not be fair weather Christians, but faithful disciples even when life presents its challenges. Moreover, it is my desire, like Paul, to love you more than anyone or anything. Father, you sit on the throne of my heart. Nothing else is more important than you.

Obedience At All Times

Luke 12:48 says "From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded." (NIV) The (NLT) version says it like this "When someone has been given much, much will be required in return."

In today's day and age, there is a lot of focus on self. It appears the preponderances of many people's thoughts have to do with "me, myself, and I!" Not only that but it appears that many sermons that are preached on Sunday mornings focus on self as well. ie. you having victory, you're an over comer, you being delivered, you walking into your inheritance, you walking in purpose etc. etc. etc. Although I don't deprecate messages that help Christian believers overcome in their personal lives, the body of Christ must have a balanced perspective. In my opinion, this balanced perspective is an awareness that there is more to the Christian faith than "YOU BEING SPIRITUALLY SUCCESSFUL" and that with spiritual blessings or promotion, comes responsibility.

In my opinion, one of the most important disciplines to maintain during any season of personal spiritual success is an obedient spirit towards the Lord. Why? Because when a person is blessed, it is easy for them to forget about the Lord. The time needed to be still and maintain an open heart and ear towards the Lord's leading is replaced with an indulgence in the blessings.

Let's remember to not only remember the Lord in difficult times, but to serve him and obey him during times of success and triumph.